tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post4007610657785923055..comments2024-03-27T08:49:38.786-03:00Comments on Siskoid's Blog of Geekery: DCAU #30: Robin's ReckoningSiskoidhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08266365376486695812noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-44584083573319134992016-02-27T09:00:17.053-04:002016-02-27T09:00:17.053-04:00One fact I forgot to mention... apparently BS&...One fact I forgot to mention... apparently BS&P wouldn't let them show young Dick crying over the death of his parents. It does give the episode a slightly odd air, forcing them to find other ways to show his grief and isolation, like the shot of him looking tiny in that massive bedroom (although notice the painting of what could possibly be Robin Hood on the wall). Young Dick gets angry later on, but it's about Batman letting Zucco rather than directly about his parents.LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37940560.post-16489917715973886002016-02-11T18:27:36.949-04:002016-02-11T18:27:36.949-04:00There's so much to love about these two episod...There's so much to love about these two episodes. I love how BTAS treated Robin, especially coming out at the same time as the movies with their shame of the character, a shame that continues to this day with negative comments about the character from the makers of the Arkham Asylum video game, his weird treatment in the movies, and so on. Robin is a very important part of the Batman mythos because, as Chris Sims points out, he's an instance where Batman won. Without Batman, Dick Greyson would have been killed, or become a ruthless grim vigilante. But because Batman is there, and because he can channel his rage and anger, Dick Greyson actually ends up as a fairly well adjusted young man. He keeps Batman "light". I love their little back and forth at the beginning, with "lucky for me you're such a good conversationalist" and Batman's wry smile.<br /><br />Smaller points:<br /><br />- The death of Dick's parents is a great example of how restrictions can force amazing results. Latter day DC animations have gotten more bloody and gory, even ones from Timm and co. They weren't allowed to do that here, but the rope, the gasp, Bruce's horrified reaction... they all work better than showing mangled bodies ever could.<br /><br />- Bruce gets out of his disguise and into his Batman costume in about 4 seconds when confronting the gambling hoods. I guess at some point he spent several months training with someone who was really, really quick as changing their clothes.<br /><br />- "It will get better in time. For you." Ouch. And again the differences. Bruce can't move on, but Dick can. And does. (Incidentally, that's why I prefer it when there's no Joe Chill. Robin can face the person who killed his parents, and move on. Batman can't, and therefore it's better when it's Crime-in-general that killed his parents, rather than one person.)<br /><br />- I'd prefer it if Batman didn't have the Batwing 9 years ago. Otherwise what's he been doing for the past decade apart from designing a new costume? (It's not just the yellow oval. The old costume has different gloves, belt, and is more plain black. It's actually closer to what Batman wears in TNBA.)<br /><br />- I would slightly argue that the second episode has the better animation studio. Dong Yang are good, and there's some great stuff as Robin slides under the lorry and jumps the bridge. But Spectrum do the first episode, and the use of light and dark is amazing. The way the carlights reflect off Batman as Zucco tries to run him down is stunning. Spectrum actually provided Layouts for part 2, which is something they did for several Dong Yang episodes (including The Laughing Fish, up next). At least Akom didn't ruin either of these parts, as they almost did with Feat of Clay.<br /><br />(Basically, almost all the animation studios apart from Akom are great. Some are better at giving things weight, some are better at light and dark, some are better at small details, but compare the show to any other 90s cartoon and you can see the quality. The actual directors deserve a lot of this credit for pushing the animation studios in this way.)LiamKavhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01996095233681105682noreply@blogger.com